04/21/2017 Dennis O’Shea
https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/04/21/parkway-theater-grand-opening/
The red carpet. The marquee. The photo ops with film and television celebs.
It was a lot like Hollywood, but much more conveniently located—just south of Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus, at the corner of Charles Street and North Avenue.
“I’VE COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT WE NO LONGER REQUIRE HUNDREDS OF THEATERS. BUT WE DO NEED A FEW GREAT ONES.”
Baltimore’s film community turned out there Thursday night to light up a long-dark historic movie palace, the 102-year-old Parkway Theatre, known now as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway.
With a renewed two-tier, 414-seat main auditorium; two new 84-seat screening rooms; and state-of-the-art projection and sound, the Parkway will be the home of the Maryland Film Festival each May. It will also present the film festival’s year-round program of indie, international, documentary, classic, and cult films.
“The roughly 150 theaters that dotted the Baltimore landscape during World War II are gone,” said Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels, prime mover behind the university’s involvement in the project and in North Avenue corridor renewal. “I’ve come to terms with the fact that we no longer require hundreds of theaters. But we do need a few great ones.”
Tucked into the cineplex—the original theater building and two adjacent structures—are typical amenities: a popcorn and concessions area, a café, and two lounges.